The 'Shroom:Issue XLV/Special Interviews/Tucayo

Special Interviews

<SMB> Hey, 'Shroomers! This is SMB here with our wonderful Sub-director, Tucayo!
<SMB> Say hello, Tucky!

<Tucayo> Hello, Tucky!

<SMB> ...This seems to be becoming a trend. XD

<Tucayo> Haha I didn't know that

<SMB> So, we shall begin with the question I always start with: When did you join the wiki?

<Tucayo> It was a rainy night ordinary day in January, January 18th, 2008. I just edited my userpage and went into a huge hiatus :O

<SMB> ...That sounds just like me. x_x
<SMB> Except for the dates. :P
<SMB> But yes, you joined on Jan. 18th, 2007, edited your userpage, and went on hiatus. How long was your hiatus?
<SMB> And by 2007, I mean 2008.

<Tucayo> My hiatus was almost...

<Tucayo> *counts with fingers*

<Tucayo> 4 month, not that long now that I come to think of it, but if you consider I was just new it didn't really matter. And if userpage was restricted to autoconfirmed like it's now, I may have gone into a hiatus without ediitng anything :P

<SMB> Heh. :P But you came out of hiatus. What did you do then?

<Tucayo> The first thing I did was to edit my userpage, again, to add {{tem|Shroombox}} and a random line

<Tucayo> 2 weeks passed, and tehn I signed up for The Shroom

<Tucayo> Before making my first mainspace edit!

<SMB> :O
<SMB> What article did you make your first mainspace edit on?

<Tucayo> Flower Shot, http://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=Flower_Shot&diff=prev&oldid=373650 . It has a spelling mistake I later corrected. Really minor, but it was my first mainspace edit, and I love it just because of that

<SMB> Heh. :P Looking back on the wiki then, what was your opinion on the quality of the articles? What were they like compared to today?

<Tucayo> Wow, I wasn't expecting this question XD

<Tucayo> Well, we had about 3,000 articles less, or so. Also, some rules hadn't been created, or weren't enforced, which made the long articles as Mario a complete mess

<Tucayo> Things have changed, and stuff has been organized, like templates, or splitting the TV Shows info

<Tucayo> And Snufit Ball was an article in those times

<SMB> Heehee.
<SMB> What was the community like then?

<Tucayo> Sorry to add this after time, but I found it. http://www.mariowiki.com/index.php?title=MarioWiki:The_%27Shroom/Sign_Up&diff=prev&oldid=372876 My Sign Up to The 'Shroom! looks like I created the Games position

<Tucayo> The community. Hmmmm.... I don't want this to sound rude

<Tucayo> In my opinion, it was better

<Tucayo> Specially the forum community

<Tucayo> Lately the forum community new users intelligence level has gone downhill

<SMB> Ah.
<SMB> So, let's get a bit more into the 'Shroom right now.

<Tucayo> The topic I like!

<SMB> So your first section was the "Games" position, which you made in May 2008. How long did you write this section?

<Tucayo> I still write it to this date :) But there was a small break, because the Crossword took a lot of time, since I made it manually on Photoshop, but then I found a Crossword Creator and my life has been much simplier

<SMB> Ah. :P How many sections have you written, anyway?

<Tucayo> The record for most sections I have written for the same issue is 10, for this issue :O Overall, I have written about 15 sections, and directed one team

<SMB> Wow. I see the word "dedicaton" written all over those 15 sections. :P
<SMB> Of course, it should read "dedication" because my keyboard is stupid. :)

<Tucayo> Heh, I try to give my best on every single section I write, even if it is Random Image of the Month :)

<Tucayo> XD

<SMB> No wonder you've held high positions throughout the paper's history... speaking of which, you were appointed to sub-director when Stooben won the election. You had gotten second place in that very election. First, tell me what it was like running in the Director Election 2008, and then tell me your reaction to your appointment to sub.

<Tucayo> I always imagined myself directing The 'Shroom, fame, glory, money and girls and returning it to where it belongs in the SMW. When I saw Stooby was winning by a huge margin, my hope was to be appointed as Sub, and it happened! It meant to me a lot, it told me that I was doing a great job, and that I should keep working harder. And that is what I did

<SMB> Awesome. :) And just after two issues of being sub-director... You end up becoming director, with Stooben becoming sub. This is the first of the many infamous switches that have actually been come to be called the Stooben-Tucayo switch. What was it like being Director?

<Tucayo> Haha, I loved all those switchings :D they all started with a PM. To be Director was, like to complete one of my 3 great goals I had on the SMW, and it was a great honor, to lead the Shroom, thing which I loved more than anything on the wiki, that which made me join, and become active. Words can't explain how I felt about this.

<Tucayo> Actually, this year something similar may have happened, but we stopped it.

<SMB> Once again: Dedication. But yes, you directed for 3 months and another switch. Your opinion on this?

<Tucayo> A user once said it was like a teeter-totter, one went up, another one went down, and viceversa. You know, I have always seen it as if we co-directed, the switch didn't change much really, except the Sign Up page

<SMB> I've always considered you both co-directors as well.
<SMB> You both highly valued each other's opinions and did the best to work with each other.
<SMB> But yes. Stooben directs one issue after the switch, and then another one happens.
<SMB> You must have been excited.

<Tucayo> Oh, I was. And actually I was more surprised than excited, because this came out of nowhere.

<SMB> Heh. You ended up directing for the final 5 months of that term, too. How were those last 5 months for The 'Shroom?

<Tucayo> The begining of them was great, of amazing growth for the 'Shroom, but then we faced our first big obstacle, the lack of writers. It was though, and we just got over it a couple of months ago

<SMB> Yeah, I can agree that it was rough. December 2009 rolls around. A new section. You, me, and Stooben run. How was running in this election for you?

<Tucayo> This, in part, was because of our reform, which put quality above quantity, as it should be

<SMB> And yes

<Tucayo> Election, I think you mean

<SMB> And yes, I mean election. x_X

<Tucayo> TBH, I was pretty confident I would win it, after all my work past year, the Holiday and Special issues, and Stooby activity, but sure I didn't :P Actually, I finished up 3rd XP I am still amazed the people voted me as Favorite Director.

<Tucayo> Perhaps my biggest mistake aws the following sentence:

<Tucayo> "Like The 'Shroom the way it is? Vote for me"

<Tucayo> What I liked is that the other 2 candidates voted for me

<Tucayo> Oh, and on my first election, then-Director Glowsquid voted for me :3

<Tucayo> Also,

<Tucayo> I am glad I didn't win, now that I look at the election page. If I had won I would have had to record a podcast!!

<SMB> ...XD
<SMB> I remember that. I read that and I was like "...olol".
<SMB> But yes, I myself was actually surprised about the results. I didn't know I'd place 2nd, or even recover from my joke campaign. x_x

<Tucayo> I was desperate at the moment, you can see from my campaign I had thought it was going to be easy

<SMB> Heh. :P But yes, despite not making second place, you still became sub-director! So things weren't going too badly for you at the time nonetheless.
<SMB> And Stooben became inactive a few times throughout this term. You rose to action and did what you needed to do in The 'Shroom's time of need.

<Tucayo> Yes! Another Sub-Directorhood and I had just been promoted to Sysop, so everything was perfect!

<Tucayo> Not without your help, you and the rest of the staff greatly helped

<Tucayo> Actually,

<Tucayo> One issue was uploaded and created and all by Xpike and Neu

<Tucayo> (that was March 09)

<SMB> Oh cool.
<SMB> But yes. After Stooben went inactive, not onlyhas your power increased, but so has the rest of the staff's.
<SMB> Which has kind of set the stage for this year's election.
<SMB> Ralph, MG1, and I are all interested in running. Do you have specific support for any one of us? Also, what advice do you have for us?

<Tucayo> Indeed, the 3 possible candidates are the Core Staff that has been with me until the very end, participating, and contributing

<Tucayo> I have worked with the 3 of you, and I know that you all would be great directors. Of the 3, I know you have the most experience, having made the job of the Director and Sub before

<Tucayo> My advice?

<Tucayo> Be nice to everyone who wants to write, give everyone a chance; be always on time, if you aren't your reputation will go down; don't think you have got everything, always go for more; impress, surprise, let the reader get involved; never lose faith, always try; trust your staff; have things organized before-hand

<Tucayo> And the most important,

<Tucayo> Reader is first, they are what we are about, so we need to take good care of them, by giving them good-quality issues

<Tucayo> And brush your teeth 3 times a day

<Tucayo> Advice from someone who has been into this for 31 issues

<Tucayo> Oh!

<Tucayo> And there are some people that will want to discredit you, telling you you're doing an awful job. Ignore all negative criticism, else you'll never see the positive one

<SMB> Great advice, Tucky. I'm sure all of the candidates will take it to heart.

<Tucayo> :)

<Tucayo> If you don't, you'll get caries, and you don't want that

<SMB> Heh. But yes, what do you expect in The 'Shroom's future? Do you think it looks bright?

<Tucayo> I do

<Tucayo> I seeee... I seee.... a Special Issue. Perhaps in the 50th Issue? *HINT HINT*

<SMB> :O
<SMB> I don't get it. :(

<Tucayo> I'll still take care of it, watching from above, so everything goes fine :O

<Tucayo> It means your zipper is open

<SMB> Oh my Poochy, this is embarrassing!

<Tucayo> ;D

<SMB> :P But yes. I have a few more questions for you.

<Tucayo> Great

<SMB> When do you plan on retiring? When you do, will you visit often?
<SMB> You BETTER >:(

<Tucayo> Haha, I was expecting this.

<Tucayo> I am retiring next month. I have already made what I wanted to make, and I feel I have already contributed a lot to the SMW and the Shroom, and I hope I will be an inspiration for newer generations

<SMB> I'm certain you will.
<SMB> I know for a fact that many will miss you and will remember you for years to come.

<Tucayo> Awww thanks :')

<SMB> So yes, to continue on, what do you think is in store for the wiki's future? Do you think that it looks nice too?

<Tucayo> Seeing all the plans and discussions in the admins board, I have to say yes. There are great plans, and though sysops may not be seen much editing the wiki on past times, it is because we are working so the wiki keeps working

<Tucayo> Of course,

<Tucayo> the community grows, and that brings problems, but nothing that can't be handled

<SMB> So, what about NIWA? Any advice or opinions on that?

<Tucayo> Most organizations have problems during its first year, NIWA had some, but I hope and think it will grow more. And that may be a problem, when there are 70 staff members to have a say in everything. I preferred the original idea that just 3 people per wiki were given votes.

<Tucayo> Also,

<Tucayo> I hope that even though I retired, the Super Mario Wiki interests will still be respected at NIWA. Some of our staff has left the place, because they felt we weren't being heard, which is true to a certain degree.

<Tucayo> And the last thing,

<Tucayo> that the main objective of NIWA is respected, and that intervention in wikis politics, or adminship should never happen

<Tucayo> But, as I said one year ago, I love the project, and hope to see it grow big

<Tucayo> It has my full support

<SMB> Alright. Anthing else you want to add before we wrap up the interview with the last question? Last comments or such?

<Tucayo> I have always wanted to be interviewed :)

<SMB> I'm glad to have been able to do so. ;)
<SMB> It's now time for our final question!

<Tucayo> Yay!

<SMB> Is this... not the final question?

<Tucayo> Uhhh... I wasn't expecting that twist O.o

<Tucayo> So I won' say this not final question won't be the not final question?

<SMB> Something like that. :)
<SMB> (Ignore the fact that I don't understand the confusing statement x_X :P)

<Tucayo> lol

<SMB> So yes, I believe that is it for our interview, Tucky. I just want to be one of the first ones to say this on behalf of our community (yes, extremely early, I know. But...): We wish you luck in the world after your retirement. Be sure to visit us once in a while, too. Don't make us miss you too much. :P

<Tucayo> Thanks a lot for that, and thanks for interviewing me! It was a pleasure

• Tucayo shakes SMB's hand, while he drinks a cup of something

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